When you want to prepare delicious, fluffy pancakes, you usually reach for baking powder. Most perfectly rising doughs also owe it to this white, powdery ingredient. This commonly used leavening agent can be found in virtually every kitchen and appears in most cake recipes.
This is a product with a wide range of uses, not only culinary – baking powder is also used to remove stains, whiten curtains and get rid of unpleasant odors.
Baking powder was invented over 120 years ago and its basic ingredient is sodium bicarbonate – commonly known as baking soda. It is this substance that decomposes under the influence of the appropriate temperature, and during this reaction carbon monoxide is released, which causes the dough to expand and rise.
Some baking powders also contain, among others: diphosphates, used to maintain the acidic pH of the powder, improve flowability and prevent caking. Although they are considered harmless substances, if consumed in excess they can cause the accumulation of phosphorus in the body. This can cause anxiety and motivate you to look for healthier alternatives.
That’s why many people wonder what to replace baking powder – check what you can add to your recipes instead.
The basic substitute for baking powder is, of course, its main ingredient, i.e. the already mentioned one baking soda. It may work great, but remember that 1 teaspoon of baking soda corresponds to 3 teaspoons of baking powder. This substitute works well in recipes where at least one of the ingredients is acidic: e.g. kefir or buttermilk.
Another option is ammoniawhich gives baked goods more crunchiness, which is why housewives willingly use it when making, for example, cookies.
You can also reach for: alcohol such as cognac, spirit or rum – 3 teaspoons correspond to 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
One of the known ways to replace baking powder is to drink carbonated water. Thanks to it, your cake will rise slightly and become fluffier. Importantly, when adding carbonated water, limit the addition of another liquid ingredient, e.g. milk.
The last suggestion is wine stone – acidic potassium tartrate. When mixed with baking soda, it will act as an acidity regulator. You can successfully use it on your own, e.g. to stiffen egg white foam.
Source: dietetyki.org.pl, Terazgotuje.pl
